“Tried” (For The Baltimore Uprising) > Abdul Hammoud

“On April 12, 2015, Baltimore law enforcement arrested Freddie Gray, 25 years old. While being transported in the police vehicle, Gray mysteriously sustained injuries to his back and neck. After falling into a coma six days later, he died a day after. On April 27, Baltimore stood up and opposed police brutality and racial discrimination.

April 12 was half way through International Poetry Month, and half way through a writing challenge I host online called The Dirty Thirty where myself and participants (now over 1000 strong) attempt to write one poem a day every day for the month of April. After having witnessed Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and many others beaten, shot, and killed before our eyes, artists all over the world stood up with Baltimore. Poetry flooded the internet. This was one I wrote on the second last day of The Dirty Thirty, and it’s only one of many very worthwhile art pieces that should be watched. This poem has since been edited further. But this was my favorite incarnation.”